Holy Name of Jesus 2022 - The name above every other name

 

The liturgical feast of the Holy Name of Jesus is a fairly recent addition to the liturgical calendar, going back just to the 15th century. St. Bernadine of Siena, Italian priest and Franciscan missionary, saw a growing irreverence toward Christianity, toward Christ. So he began to spread understanding and love for Jesus by teaching people to revere his Holy Name.

St. Bernadine took the first three letters of Jesus’ name in Greek, iota, eta, sigma, which look like the English alphabet letters IHS, and encouraged people to place those letters in their churches, homes, and public buildings.

Today’s memorial is rightly celebrated in proximity to Christmas, for on the 8th day of his earthly life, Our Lord was taken by Mary and Joseph to the Jerusalem Temple where he was circumcised and named. His name was not chosen frivolously, it was given to Joseph by heaven itself, and no name has better fit a child in all of history. For the name of Jesus signifies his identity and mission perfectly. Jesus means “God Saves”. He is God and Savior. He is God who saves.

In that magnificent passage from St. Paul’s letter to the Philippians, that the name of Jesus is the name above all other names. St. Peter says in the book of acts, that “there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

St. Bernard of Clairvaux said, “The Name of Jesus is Light, and Food, and Medicine. It is Light, when it is preached to us; it is Food, when we think upon it; it is the Medicine that soothes our pains when we invoke it.”

St. Anthony of Padua compared the use of Jesus’ name to oil. Just as “oil has five properties — it floats on the surface of any liquid, it softens hard things, it sweetens bitter things, it is a source of light and provides nourishment for the body — [so] the name Jesus has similar properties: it excels every other name, it softens the hardest of hearts, it sweetens the most bitter experiences, it enlightens our hearts and nourishes our souls.”

May this Christmas feast of the Holy Name help us believe in Jesus’s name, treat the name of Jesus with reverence, give us conviction in to invoke Jesus’ name in our prayer, live in communion with the Holy Name of Jesus, proclaim Jesus’ name to the ends of the earth, and willingly suffer, like the apostles, for the sake of the name, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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We bring forth now our prayers of petitions.

For the conversion of all those who have turned their hearts from Christ, for those who have fallen into serious sin, for a strengthening of all of the faithful in virtue. And That God may bring the faithless to believe in His Son and increase the faith of those struggling to believe.

In reparation for all blasphemy, especially blasphemous and impious use of the holy name of Jesus. 

For those oppressed by hunger, sickness or loneliness, that through the mystery of the Nativity of Christ, they may find relief in both mind and body. 

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord